Neighborhood Spotlight: Not Your Grandfather’s Fenway

ULI’s Women’s Leadership Initiative recently hosted “Neighborhood Spotlight: Fenway” at the Hatch Fenway. Nickerson Companies’ CEO and founder, Lisa Nickerson was the moderator and was joined by three expert panelists for an in-depth discussion on construction trends and recent developments in Boston’s creative hub, the Fenway neighborhood. Panelists included Sabrina Sandberg, VP of Marketing and Merchandising at Samuels & Associates, Lois Goodell, Principal and Director of Interior Design at CBT Architects, and Lauren DeVoe, Senior Environmental Planner at VHB.

Over the last decade, the planners and developers of the Fenway area have created a community that caters to the diverse population through the belief that demographic is a feeling, not an age, which was a concept highlighted throughout this panel. With a variety of retail, dining, and living options, the vibrant feeling Fenway produces offers something for everyone. The Fenway is looking to diversify both retail and work spaces by welcoming exciting new global food concepts and co-working spaces. While there may not be a secret recipe for master planning, the Fenway has found all of the right ingredients.

Sabrina Sandberg of Samuels & Associates, opened the discussion by introducing the Pierce Boston, Fenway’s new residential tower that offers rental apartments and condos for purchase – one of the first for-sale products to be introduced in the Fenway. This complex offers owners unparalleled amenities including sky cabanas, a swimming pool, and roof deck. The Pierce also has indoor lounges on the 18th and 30th floors with panoramic views of the city that allow residents to live amongst the clouds. Lisa Nickerson emphasizes the height of the Pierce, agreeing that it presents a true city living experience while providing a space to escape the bustling city.

As lead interior architect and designer on the project, Lois Goodell reveals that the abstract behind the design was to create a space that paralleled the surrounding landscape. With inspiration from nearby Museum of Fine Arts, the Pierce’s interior encompasses transparency and raises the bar for urban living.

The Fenway neighborhood has evolved from a place to visit and watch the beloved Red Sox at Fenway Park to a self-sufficient place that people can live, work, shop, and play all in one community. Convenience is huge in an apartment search, as “70% of people who work in ‪Fenway take public transit, Uber, or bike to work,” says Lauren DeVoe, Senior Environmental Planner at VHB. This also includes the sizable population of 80,000 students attending universities in the area. With additional new developments including Samuels & Associates’ of Landmark Center and Cabot & Forbes new residential development on Kilmarnock Street, we still haven’t seen the finished product.

Everyone in attendance at the ULI event can agree that they are especially excited for the arrival of the highly anticipated Time Out Market, which is expected to open in Fenway’s Landmark Center in 2019! The Lisbon based food hall (similar to Eataly, which arrived in Boston last year) will offer a variety of kiosks, bars, and cafes; a convenient place for hungry neighbors across the street at the Pierce, busy students taking a time-out from their studies, Red Sox fans catching a game, or any passer-by spending time in the coveted Fenway neighborhood!